Censorship on new English Chess Forum

[Roger de Coverly]

It appears that the moderators of the ECF forum have responded to this issue promptly and stopped anonymous posting.

Talking of real names, who is Kay Joslin P?

"Andrew" would be the ECF webmaster and Bill Phillips is a long standing Middlesex area player.

I'm sure they didn't want to be seen to slavishly copy the layout of the ecforum, but given that "General Chat" is the most popular area here, not having such a catch-all would seem a mistake.

[John Upham]

I am sorry but I have never read such garbage in my life.

Does this imply this is the first of DPs posts you have read Andrew?

[David Pardoe]

Andrew, I have given you just two examples of websites which have very high levels of participation, (far higher than this ECF Forum)...well run as it undoubtedly is by Carl and his team..... which run on the basis of anonimous participation...for some very good reasons.

Officials arent the be all and end all...they are just part of the group. Yes, some officers take some flak...and some of this is undoubtedly unjustified.
Roger Edwards was one who chose to stay off, and do his talking through his many good deeds in the name of English chess. The big noises said he was too quiet....and boy, have we now got things quiet at the ECF...with published minutes being a rarity. Typical of those who want to keep a lid on things, some may percieve...
An anonimous forum is likely to generate more participation....and thats what it is all about.
People asking questions is a key to generating interest...and they dont want to feel intimidated by having to give there names..least they might suffer personal abuse in the street, or be called fools, by the so called know alls...

[Andrew Zigmond]

.
An anonimous forum is likely to generate more participation....and thats what it is all about.
People asking questions is a key to generating interest...and they dont want to feel intimidated by having to give there names..least they might suffer personal abuse in the street, or be called fools, by the so called know alls...

So what you're saying is that it's okay for the public (for want of a better word) to call volunteers and officials `angels of death` and `village idiots` and `muppets` - and able to do so anonymously while volunteers and officials just have to take it? I'm sorry but I have a big, big problem with that.

As it is Carl won't tolerate anonymous users, the new ECF forum have decided they won't so it's a non issue anyway.

[David Pardoe]

Andrew...you`ve got it all wrong lad..
These boards are not just about ECF and other chess officianadoes...its about the whole spectrum of chess.
Many officials choose to exercise there right to silence, and abstain from comment on these forums..and that is a perfectly legitimate position...
Other officials choose to speak out when it suits, then fall silent when the water gets hot...
So, yes, for public discussion purposes, its far better to have things run on anonimous lines.
If you want a private members board, where officials can make `controlled comment` fair enough...

[JustinHorton]

Just on the thread title - it's not really "censorship" if you can't comment on a forum or a blog or a newspaper article or what you will. It's censorship if you are prevented from publishing what you wanted to say elsewhere.

[JustinHorton]

Meanwhile at Leyton Orient

[Peter D Williams]

So what you're saying is that it's okay for the public (for want of a better word) to call volunteers and officials `angels of death` and `village idiots` and `muppets` - and able to do so anonymously while volunteers and officials just have to take it? I'm sorry but I have a big, big problem with that said by - Andrew Zigmond

As it is Carl won't tolerate anonymous users, the new ECF forum have decided they won't so it's a non issue anyway.

officers of the ECF and volunteers have called people bad names on here to and do not just take it as you claim.

Its only a forum does anyone really take that much notice of the nonsense typed on here?

Just because some one is a volunteer or an officer of the ECF does not mean one can not give them advice to help them.It is often a standard reply to get out of things to say but i am a volunteer.

Your be pleased to hear i will not be signing up to the new site.

Well the sun is out so now its time to relax in the garden

[Roger de Coverly]

Meanwhile at Leyton Orient

I'm assuming this is it
http://leytonorientforum.com/

To judge from the number of postings and that the discussions seem mostly about football in general, rather than Orient, it seems to have been a victim of its own success. Is it common for league clubs to have their own dedicated and club run forums?

[JustinHorton]

Dunno, I'm afraid. Oxford used to have one but that was years ago.

Anyway, just to say that this whole "put off the sponsors" bit is pitiful. I mean this isn't NATO or a blue-chip company with loads of commercial secrets. It's a representative organisation staffed by amateur chessplayers. The way elements within have have consistently been fearful of openness and free discussion is inordinately dispiriting on all sorts of grounds.

[Dan Lambourne]

Is it common for league clubs to have their own dedicated and club run forums?

In my experience the supporters start off a forum, it gets popular, the league clubs try and run one of their own, then they ultimately fail as they don't have any one to run it, and the supporters forum takes centre stage again.

The longest running Wycombe Wanderers forum is unofficial, http://www.gasroom.co.uk/ , and attempts to have links to one forum for all the clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two, most of which look unofficial.

Dan

[Mick Norris]

Meanwhile at Leyton Orient

And at Bury too
http://www.buryfc.co.uk/news/article/bu ... 28658.aspx

[Jonathan Bryant]

Talking of real names, who is Kay Joslin P?

Presumably the same Kay Joslin as this twitter account?
https://twitter.com/kayjosl



I’d previously assumed that it was a nomme d’internet, but presumably that was a mistake on my part. I’ve had a couple of brief exchanges on twitter with him/her. Seems like a decent egg.

Was able to answer a Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy query, iirc, so can’t be all bad.

[Roger de Coverly]

Noting that Carl has registered, not that I have, the essential point is whether posts critical of the ECF or ECF apparatchiks will be permitted. It's an assumption that posts critical of FIDE and FIDE apparatchiks will also be allowed. That could present a problem at the next ECF election if FIDE make yet another attempt to subvert the ECF's anti-Kirsan position.

[Andrew Zigmond]

Noting that Carl has registered, not that I have, the essential point is whether posts critical of the ECF or ECF apparatchiks will be permitted. It's an assumption that posts critical of FIDE and FIDE apparatchiks will also be allowed. That could present a problem at the next ECF election if FIDE make yet another attempt to subvert the ECF's anti-Kirsan position.

It seems that the forum will allow constructive criticism; rather than speculating you'd do better to wait and see what discussions occur and how they are handled. I hope you agree that it's preferable to a system where there was no mechanism for giving feedback on official announcements.